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“What? The viscount collapsed too?”
Johan asked in disbelief. Geoffrey nodded.
“Yes.”
“He’s not mimicking me, is he?”
“How could that be?”
Giada said as he entered. At his sign, the slaves he commanded brought in medicine.
“There is an outstanding doctor among those working under other captains. He brought good medicine for the body.”
“I’m fine so let Geoffrey drink it.”
“Oh my, thank you!”
Geoffrey gave an exaggerated expression of gratitude. Being able to take medicine made by doctors from the republic was a luxury not easily enjoyed.
While Geoffrey was making faces drinking the bitter medicine, Johan talked with Giada.
“Your tricks are several times better than those of your cousin.”
“No, I am still very much lacking compared to the bishop.”
Giada’s voice contained sincerity. Johan was frankly surprised.
Was Bishop Biagione that capable?
‘𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵, 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.’
“Do you know who shot the arrow?”
“From the rumors I heard he was captured. Just some no-name knight dastard. The Emperor must have sent him, right?”
“The Emperor must have ordered it.”
They both agreed on this point. It was just too coincidental.
“I should have thought of the Emperor.”
From the Emperor’s perspective, he could shake the situation with just one arrow, so he had to aim for it. Johan reflected.
“I thought it would be okay because no one could have predicted that it would come like this, but even if it wasn’t directly ordered by the Emperor, his subordinates could have issued it. It was a situation.”
It was a good thing he was wearing armor and had good senses, but if he had really been injured, it would have been dangerous.
“Have the mercenaries calmed down a bit?”
“Yes. As soon as you gave the order, everyone returned obediently.”
The mercenaries returned to their places in an incredibly obedient manner, as if they were demons who had been running rampant.
It was a surprising thing, even though it is usually difficult to find order again once it goes into a state of plunder.
“If it was something ordered by the Emperor, fighting would only be doing him a favor. I was even more determined to solve it through negotiations, but. . . Viscount suddenly collapsed, so I thought he might be imitating me.”
“Viscount is not stupid, so he will not do that. Isn’t it completely different from you being shot?”
Who would sympathize with him if he fell down alone? Even if the nobles under viscount were agitated, there was no benefit.
“Do you think the negotiations will proceed even though the viscount has collapsed?”
“On the contrary, now that he has fallen, he will be more likely to negotiate, don’t you think? His subordinates will be in a hurry. If they come, you can chase them away a few times and then accept them.”
Johan nodded.
“In case, order them to be careful of a surprise attack.”
“Would they do that?”
“It is human nature to do something that is not expected. There are many crazy people in the world.”
Johan said with a smile.
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
𝚊𝕨ė̇𝔟𝔰𝙩𝙤ṙ̇𝔦ᴇ𝙨.𝔠𝐨𝐦
Giada’s prediction came true. Envoys of the viscount holding white flags came. They were barely able to enter and deliver the message after being chased away several times.
The leader of the envoys was the viscount’s first daughter, Aola-gong. She prostrated herself in front of Johan’s tent.
Johan came out with bandages wrapped around him. He had to come out or else it would have caused strange misunderstandings.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴?’
Johan noticed that some of the envoys seemed disappointed. They seemed very sad that Johan wasn’t killed.
“A completely unrelated person acted on their own?”
Those around Johan also scoffed at his words. Who would believe that? Even if the perpetrator himself said that, no one would believe it.
“I swear to God, really. . .”
“Well, alright. I’ll believe you.”
“?!”
“Didn’t you want me to believe you?”
“Oh? Yes. . .”
In a situation where he was shot by an arrow and almost died. It wouldn’t have been strange to attack the castle or kill the envoys. But the envoys were confused by his calm response.
𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐲!
They knew the Count before them was a young upstart, but it was terrifying that he could remain so calm after being shot by an arrow.
“So what did you bring?”
“My two younger siblings will go as hostages, and the amount of compensation has also been increased. . .”
The Viscount was sending his second and third children as hostages. It showed how urgent the situation was over there. Johan nodded and confirmed the conditions.
It was the condition he wanted. He could have tried to take more, but Johan didn’t intend to go that far. Gold was gold, but the hostages were more important.
“Were there any particular complaints from inside?”
“. . .It’s not for them to make the decision, so it’s fine.”
“I heard the viscount has fallen, I’m very worried.”
“It’s fine.”
Johan’s concern probably didn’t sound like concern to the other party. Aola’s expression was actually twisted with humiliation and defeat.
“Prepare the donation to the church within a week. When I receive it, I will leave.”
“. . .Yes.”
Johan nodded. The envoys behind breathed a long sigh of relief as they wiped away cold sweat.
They came with generous terms, but the reason they were nervous was because of Johan. They were afraid Johan would slaughter the envoys with a knife after being shot by an arrow.
With the negotiations over, it felt like the tension in their bodies was released.
“The Count is quite an extraordinary figure to be so extraordinary. To act like that after being shot by an arrow.”
“Aren’t you praising the invader too much?”
“It’s the truth, isn’t it? He’s quite magnanimous.”
After surviving a near-death experience, even the envoy party couldn’t help but say good things about Johan. To them, Johan’s attitude was the epitome of generosity.
Although they had no choice but to agree when the Viscount fell and his children came forward to negotiate, they didn’t expect to get out alive like this.
Sir Gophredo, who was with the party, also nodded.
“To remain so composed after being shot by an arrow, he really is quite an extraordinary knight.”
“Speaking of which, Your Excellency’s man was saying strange things. . .”
“What did that guy say?”
“That wizard Jyanina lent the Count the power of magic, and that’s why his wounds have healed so quickly this time. That Jyanina-gong, isn’t she the wizard who came last time? I don’t know what that wizard is doing.”
Of course, Jyanina was being held until the negotiations ended, and that happened because the negotiations took longer. . .
But that wasn’t very important to the nobles there.
“Let’s question that when we get back. Isn’t that going too far even if she was being held? Healing the count’s wounds too!”
“Don’t be too harsh. Thanks to her we were able to get out alive.”
Seeing the glaring mercenaries sent a chill down his spine. The noble quickly nodded.
“It’s better that Your Excellency collapsed. It’s also a matter of finding a skilled wizard.”
“I guess so. . .”